Mills College | Music Building Renovation
Oakland, CA
Photos: Cesar Rubio
Scope
Structural Engineering

Size
23,000 sf
 
Awards
2009 California Preservation Design Award winner
2009 Merit Award: Excellence in Architecture for Restoration and Preservation, SPUR/AIA

 
Key Info
18 months to complete concert hall renovation


The award-winning renovation of the 1928 Spanish Colonial-style Mills College Music Building included new additions, ADA upgrades, refurbished classrooms, new A/V and performance space, and, perhaps most noticeably, the upgrade of the Littlefield Concert Hall. The rehabilitated hall includes upgraded acoustics, seating and orchestra space enhancements, stage expansion, and restoration of the Raymond Boynton mural. The project was completed within a limited budget and an ambitious one-year schedule. Rutherford + Chekene served as structural engineer for the renovation. R+C provided structural engineering services previously for the building's partial upgrade. 

The renovation of the building's gem, the Jeannik Mequet Littlefield concert hall, took the design and construction team 18 months to complete. Highlights of the renovation included:

  • Expanded stage for larger performances
  • New seats and improved layout for a enhanced and more comfortable audience experience
  • New acoustic panels for enhanced sound quality
  • Soundproofing for performance and recording quality
  • Restoration of the Raymond Boynton frescoes and choir loft murals within the venue